Diet Street: the results are in

Six months ago, 11 households on one street tried seven popular diets. Their mission: to lose weight, build muscle and win a prize. Here are the results.

Aussies are becoming seriously overweight, leading to an increase in health problems. Apart from turning you into a fashion flunky, weight problems can lead to heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Diet Street's battle of the bulge began with Gary, who wanted to lose his gut and drop 10kg. Along with neighbour Flo Campbell, Gary tried the Sureslim diet - a medically-based, personalised plan that promised to relieve Flo herself of 10kg.

Elsewhere on Diet Street, mother and daughter team April and Kathy started on the Weight Watchers program. Ken and Robyn Atkins started on the Clothesline diet, while neighbours Julie and Sue tried the Change One weight loss program.

Husband and wife team Greg and Wendy went for the Body For Life regime. Robyn, who was well above her ideal body weight, also hoped Body for Life would knock her into shape - but this meant plenty of exercise, including gym work.

And further along Diet Street, John and Joan ate balanced meals from Light and Easy. Donna and George tried our Low GI diet, quickly changing their eating habits and breaking out their walking shoes.

Obesity expert Nic Kormas says if current trends continue, the majority of the Australian population will be obese in ten years. But the residents of Lobelia Crescent set out to change that.

Dietican Geraldine Georgeou was astounded at the weight loss they achieved at the halfway mark of the diet.

But now it's crunch time for Diet Street and time for the final weigh in. All participants agreed to blood tests, exercise assessment and special scans to accurately measure fat and muscle.

And the winner is ? Wendy. She lost 10kg on the Body for Life plan. Tests showed she hadn't lost too much muscle and her blood analysis was normal.

Wendy's prize for her weight sacrifice was a sun-drenched holiday for her and husband Greg. They're off to Queensland's fabulous Daydream Island resort, all thanks to host Vaughan Bullivant.

Close runner-up Kathy, on the Weight Watchers plan, was overweight but not obese. She also lost 10kg, but her task was considered easier than Wendy's and she was found to have lost muscle and iron.

But at the end of the day our dieters were all winners. Their mammoth efforts earned them a George Foreman Grill, running shoes and three months' worth of fresh fruit and vegetables courtesy of Harris Farm Markets.

For more info on weight loss strategies, click on 'Dr John's tips' below.